


Glimpses Into Another World

by timeisweird



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Character Swap, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Episode: s01e09 The Empty Child, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 02:51:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13649898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timeisweird/pseuds/timeisweird
Summary: The Doctor, mysterious, eccentric, renegade Time Lady of Gallifrey, travels the universe in her trusty type-40.With her, are her companions, sometimes belligerent, sometimes forgetful, usually human, and usually... named John?A series of peeks into a universe, where the Doctor and their companions have switched places.





	Glimpses Into Another World

**Author's Note:**

> i've been sitting on this for two months, and i figured i might as well post it, even if i haven't really reread it, nor have i done a bunch of editing. i'm currently working on a much bigger project (that i'm super excited about!) so, if this isn't your cup of tea, then at least you can have that to look forward to.
> 
> this is based on tumblr user evilqueenofgallifrey's post here [here](http://evilqueenofgallifrey.tumblr.com/post/158146714425/dr-who-but-each-incarnation-is-swapped-with-one-of):

After the TARDIS materializes with a _thud_ , Chris takes the first step out. They’re in a damp, dirty alleyway, and the moon is bright enough to illuminate the empty boxes and laundry that hangs from clotheslines tied to windows.

“Why is it always Earth?” he asks as the Doctor closes the doors behind them. He may not be an expert on the whole ‘traveling in time and space’ bit, but he’s come to recognize Earth, no matter the century or place. “How long can we knock about space without bumping into Earth?”

“About five days, from what I’ve seen. Or when the milk runs out.” The Doctor answers. “Cows though, can I ask you, of all the species in the universe, why’s it gotta come out of a cow?” She hasn’t wasted a moment talking though, having already taken out her sonic screwdriver, and messing with the settings. “Now, whatever it was, it must have fallen close. Within a mile, I’d say. No longer than a month ago, either.” She brandishes the sonic screwdriver and points it around the alley. “I’m gonna do a scan for alien tech.”

“Scan for alien tech? That’s a bit boring.” He glances around the alleyway. For a moment, he almost felt like someone was watching him. “Why don’t we go ask people? Meet some of the locals. You said it hit the center of London with a very loud bang. People have gotta take note of that.” He walks to the end of the alley, where a locked door stands. Music and laughter can be heard from the other side. “Door, music, people, what do you think?”

He’s already picking the lock with a bobby pin — something he recognized the importance of having after getting arrested for the nth time on some alien planet — by the time the Doctor finishes her scan. “John—”  
  
“For the last time, it’s Chris. We’ve traveled together for, what, months now? You should know my name.” He doesn't dare mention the fact that John is his middle name. It'd only encourage her.  
  
The Doctor grumbles. “Your lot always seem to be named John, in my lengthy experience. Seriously, I can name at least… seven Johns that’ve traveled with me before. One of them actually spelled it j-o-n, though he didn’t exactly _travel_ with me.”

The Doctor shakes her head, trying to get back on track. “But Chris, if you go around asking if something fell from the sky with a bang in this time, you’ll just…” She trails off as she looks at her sonic screwdriver, frowning.

The lock clicks open, and Chris stands back up, triumphant. Apparently, she’s reconsidered, because she then says, “Oh fine, go ahead, ask about. Just trying to give you some Spock.”

Chris gives her a grin and opens the door. As he slides into the bar-like atmosphere, the Doctor murmurs under her breath, “This’ll be fun to watch.”

* * *

 

Maybe if he had kept his temper, Chris reflected, he wouldn’t be hanging from a barrage balloon a mile in the sky in the middle of the London Blitz.

Well, at least he doesn’t have a Union Jack across his chest, or something equally ridiculous.

But _no,_ everyone had to laugh — something falling from the sky, landing with a bang, in 1941? How strange! — and he just _had_ to storm off back into the alley.

Then there was that creepy kid, but he couldn’t just ignore a boy calling for his mum, now could he? He knew what it was like being left out in the cold. The Doctor hadn't been with him then, but he's sure that she would've cared too, maybe even more than he does. 

He wonders where the Doctor is, as he struggles to keep his grip. The rope’s really starting to burn. He had made sure to lose her in the alleyways — couldn’t stand the thought of her seeing him all ruffled. Now, he’s wishing he had let her follow.

He loses his train of thought when the rope slips from his grasp, and _now_ he has to deal with no longer hanging from a barrage balloon, but _falling_ from one, the Thames and fire below him.

He can’t help but scream as he falls, but then there’s this… light, all around him. Miraculously, he feels himself stop, and the wind rushing by his ears dies down, leaving only the sound of explosions in the distance.

“Okay, okay, I got you,” a voice — male, probably — booms out, like on an intercom.

“Who?” He demands once he’s caught his breath, because if someone’s going to save your life with — Well, with a tractor beam, you might as well find out who they are. “Who’s got me?”

“I'm just programming your descent pattern. Keep as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field.” Right, as if he can keep still when he’s floating in the air. He tries his best, anyway. “Oh, and can you switch off your cell phone?”

“Cellphone? I don’t—” But wait, he _does_ have a mobile. The Doctor gave him one, some time after they met. She’d insisted, when he said he didn’t have one.

_“What human doesn’t have a cell phone in the 21st century? You’ve got to have one. Here, this one’s a bit beyond your time, but it’ll do, if you want to call a brother or something.”_

_“I don’t have a—Oh, fine.”_

He’s apparently hesitated too long on the whole cellphone thing, as the voice booms out again, “No, seriously. It interferes with my instruments.”

He scoffs at that, but takes out his mobile and switches it off anyway (he’s fairly sure it’s off. It’s only got one button, anyway). “As if anyone believes that.”

“Thank you,” the voice says, ignoring him. “That’s much better. Now, hold on tight!

“Right, let me just hold on to the air,” he snarks.

There’s a pause. Apparently whoever they are, they’re really listening to him. “Fair point,” the voice says, before he’s falling through the air again. Only this time, he’s being directed, invisible hands guiding him, guiding right towards _Big Ben oh Christ_

There’s a flash of light, and a strong body underneath him, holding him up. “You’re fine, you’re fine,” the same voice from a few seconds ago says, and now Chris can match it to a face. A fit-looking man who was probably on the cover of at least five different men’s magazines with a smile that could woo boys and girls into doing anything he’d like.

Chris resents him already.

“The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little,” the man says, but Chris pushes against him, back onto his own feet. So what if he’s a little unsteady on them? He doesn’t need some pretty boy to hold his weight. He must have said this bit out loud, because now Pretty Boy’s giving him a concerned look and telling him he looks dizzy.

“No,” he manages, “ _you’re_ the one looking dizzy.”

And then he faints.

* * *

 

The Doctor had followed the young woman into the house. How could she not? A phone that shouldn’t ringing is ringing, and she seems to know something about it. Plus, Chris stormed off, and the Doctor would very much like to find a tab on his whereabouts, if she could. And then she found a group of raggedy kids eating a family meal.

Children, living rough in World War II, guided by a young woman who steals food for them and risks her life to find it, but at the same time teaching them manners and humility. Honestly, this could be a musical. Broadway’d make millions.

They startle when they realize she’s snuck in, taken a plate for herself (she’s hungry too, alright?), and sat down like one of the gang. She jokes with them, tosses harmless banter, and they relax. One of them ask if she’s a copper, and she laughs, but stops when a kid says, “She ain’t no copper. Girls aren’t coppers!”

“Girls can do whatever they want,” she says firmly, making sure to make eye contact with the young woman — Nancy, her name is. “Like good old Nancy here. Feeding the kids of London town with food off the tables of the families in the bomb shelters. That’s what you do, innit?” She gives her a grin, hoping she comes off as nice and harmless, and definitely someone you should share everything you know with.

Nancy doesn’t smile. “Why’d you follow me? What do you want?”

“Lots of things. First off, you seem to know an awful lot about a ringing phone that isn’t supposed to ring. I want to know how that can happen.”

“I did you a favor. I told you not to answer it, that’s all I’m telling you.”

“Lovely.” The Doctor hates when people don’t tell her things. Always leads to people getting hurt when it never had to happen. She moves on, anyway. “Right, second, I’m looking for a guy in a leather jacket. Not just any guy,” she assures the kids. “A specific guy. I don’t have a craving or nothing.” They laugh. “Big ears, crop cut, anyone see a guy like that?”

Then Nancy’s getting up from the table. She stalks over and takes her plate away from right in front of her. The kids laugh when Nancy explains she took two slices — though she’s fairly sure she didn’t, but she’ll let Nancy have that. Out of rigid politeness more than anything, the young woman asks if the Doctor would like anything else before she shoves off.

She tells her that yes, actually, she would. She explains what she’s looking for — a bomb, but not actually a bomb. Fell from the sky a month ago, buried itself in the ground most likely. She whips out the psychic paper, and imagines a simple drawing of the canister. No one seems to recognize it, but Nancy has an odd glint in her eye, the Doctor notices.

The dinner goes a bit pear-shaped after that, what with the boy in a gas mask that everyone seems scared out of their wits about. He knocks on the window, everyone jumps away. He comes to the front door, everyone leaves out the back. The Doctor stays behind, watches as Nancy locks the door and backs up into her. She demands to know why, and Nancy says, “It’s not exactly a child.”

She then checks the dining room again for any child that’s stayed behind, and when she comes back, the Doctor is still contemplating the boy-that-isn’t-a-boy at the door. When a small hand sneaks through the mail slot — an odd cut on the back, red and scabbed over — Nancy throws a dish at the door, scaring the boy into snatching his hand back.

“You mustn’t let him touch you!” she warned.

“Why? What happens?”

“He’ll make you like him.” Nancy threw a worried glance towards the door, as if making sure the wood still held the creature behind it.

“And there’s something wrong with that?”

“There’s something with being... empty, yes,” she says. “You’ll just be empty. Now, I’ve really got to go.”

But before she can go any farther, all the electronics in the house start going off. First the phone, then the radio. All ringing and blaring music, with the boy’s voice as an underlying current, begging for his mummy.

The whole scene sends shivers down the Doctor’s spine.

She goes back to the door — Nancy takes the opportunity to bolt. She doesn’t try to stop her — and tries to talk with the boy. There’s no sign that he can even hear what she’s saying until she tells him she’s opening the door. He — once again searching for a hand to hold — withdraws from the mail slot, and the Doctor slowly undoes the locks. She can’t deny the rapid beat of her hearts as she slowly cracks a peak outside onto the porch and the streets behind.

There’s no one there.

**Author's Note:**

> the next chapter will most likely be swapped ten and donna, in partners in crime! though, i have to warn you, this au is not high on my list, so the update may be a while.


End file.
